Chapter 246
Your Way
Debby expected Carol to hold Rachel accountable. Approaching with a reassuring smile, she said, “Alright, I’ll call Brian right now. Please don’t worry.”
“I’m running out of patience. Hurry up!” Carol’s voice was tight with anger, her irritation palpable.
Debby wasted no time dialing Brian’s number. “Brian, your grandma wants to speak with
you.”
“I’m in the middle of something, Mom. Tell her I’ll be there later.” Brian’s voice was distracted, almost dismissive.
Before Debby could respond, Carol grabbed the phone from her hand with a swift motion. “You listen to me, Brian. You need to come back immediately, and bring Rachel with you.”
The authority in Carol’s voice left no room for debate. Brian’s resistance melted away in an instant. “Alright, I’ll be there right away.”
“And don’t even think about showing up without Rachel,” Carol added firmly, her tone unwavering.
Brian exhaled, clearly resigned. “Understood. I’ll be there.”
After Carol ended the call, Debby’s heart lifted in quiet satisfaction. Her earlier intuition had been spot–on; Carol was furious. This could be her opportunity to unravel the wedding and free Brian from his connection to Rachel.
A sly smile tugged at the corner of her lips, but she quickly masked it, replacing it with sweetness. “Carol, can I get you some water?” she offered, her voice dripping with
insincere kindness.
Carol let out a frustrated sigh, pressing her palm to her forehead. “No need,” she muttered, her voice thick with discomfort. “I have a headache. Just…. quiet, please.”
Debby seized the moment. “I could give you a massage,” she suggested, her tone oozing false concern. “It’ll help with the tension.”
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Without waiting for an answer, Debby moved behind Carol, her hands expertly working into her shoulders, trying to soothe with calculated care.
As Brian ended the call, his face darkened with concern. Carol’s demand to bring Rachel back was a serious issue. She had no idea about their breakup, and if she found out now, the fallout could be catastrophic. Her health was already fragile, and he couldn’t afford to risk her spiraling further.
Before leaving the company, Brian issued a clear and direct instruction. “No matter what happens, don’t halt your work. And remember, I don’t want to see any trace of Rachel online. Scrub all information about her from the internet, thoroughly and completely.”
This time, the entire tech department responded in unison, their voices firm and unwavering. “Yes, sir.”
As Brian stepped out, Tracy immediately spotted him and hurried after him, her voice laced with mild concern. “Brian, where are you off to? Don’t you have things to oversee
here?”
Brian glanced back at her, his expression tight. “My grandma found out everything. She wants to see me, and I need to get there now.”
Tracy’s brows arched in surprise. “So Carol found out about what happened with Rachel?”
Brian’s tone was clipped, confirming the worst. “Yes.”
Tracy’s eyes flickered and she asked tentatively, “And what’s her reaction?”
“She’s furious, so I need to go now,” Brian explained.
Inside, Tracy felt a quiet sense of victory. She hadn’t expected things to escalate so quickly, and it was working out perfectly. The scandal had already wrecked Rachel’s reputation, and Carol’s reaction was just the final touch. Everything suited Tracy’s plans just fine.
Tracy stepped forward, her voice taking on a more insistent tone. “Brian, you should really go. Don’t keep Carol waiting. I’ll take care of things here while you’re gone.”
Once Brian had left, Tracy wasted no time making a call. “Just forget about trending topics. We’re done here.”
The voice on the other end hesitated, then responded with a question. “Are you sure? Shouldn’t we keep it going?”
Tracy’s response was firm, almost detached. “No. I’ve gotten what I wanted. There’s no
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point in going further. It’s over.”
Tracy knew she needed to stop now before things got out of hand. The last thing she wanted was for Brian to catch wind of her involvement. Her carefully curated image was too important to jeopardize. It was time to pull the plug quietly and efficiently.
Meanwhile, Brian’s frustration grew as he dialed Rachel’s number again, only for it to go unanswered. He left the office and headed straight to her place. When he arrived, it was Jeffrey who opened the door.
“Where’s Rachel?” Brian demanded.
Jeffrey, looking somewhat puzzled, tilted his head. “Rachel went on a business trip. Didn’t you know?”
Before Brian could respond, Jeffrey asked again, “How could you not know her schedule? Did something happen between you two?”
Brian placed a reassuring hand on Jeffrey’s head. “It’s just a small disagreement between us. Don’t worry, we’ll work it out soon.”
But Jeffrey wasn’t convinced. His grip on Brian’s arm tightened, a subtle shift in his demeanor. “Brian, listen to me,” he said, his voice steady and serious, his young face set in a way that was far from innocent. “You need to promise me you won’t hurt her. I don’t care what happens between you two. She’s not alone. I’ll always be there for her. And if you hurt her, even if I’m not as strong as you, I’ll make sure you know it.”
Brian looked down at Jeffrey, taken aback by the seriousness in his voice, but nodded slowly. “Alright. I promise. I won’t hurt her.”
As Brian turned to leave, his hand instinctively went to his phone. He dialed Ronald’s number with an urgency that betrayed his concern. “Find Rachel. Now.”
Ronald, usually efficient and quick, seemed to struggle this time. Minutes ticked by with no updates, and Brian’s impatience began to simmer. He called again, his voice sharp and demanding. “What’s going on?”
Ronald hesitated before answering, “We’ve checked all hotel registrations, but there’s no
trace of her.”
Brian’s gaze hardened as memories of that day flooded back, the image of her walking out with Andres under the shelter of an umbrella. A cold, unsettling feeling crept over him. His voice dropped to a chilling whisper as he growled, “Check Andres’s name. Immediately.”
The search yielded results almost immediately. Brian drove straight to the location, his
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Chapter 246 We’ll Do It Your Way
mind a storm of tension and frustration. He arrived just as Rachel was stepping into the elevator.
Though only a few days had passed, Rachel looked noticeably thinner, her face paler than he remembered. Seeing her in such a state stirred an unexpected ache in Brian, a knot of discomfort tightening in his chest.
As the elevator doors began to close, Brian stepped forward, his voice firm and commanding. “We need to talk,” he said, catching the doors just in time. He reached out, gently but firmly gripping her arm before she could step in.
Rachel turned to face Brian, her expression guarded. “What is there to discuss?” she asked, her tone cool and detached.
“Your name is trending…” Brian began, but before he could finish, Rachel cut him off, her voice cold and sharp.
“I know,” Rachel snapped, her tone cold. “There’s no need for you to rub salt in the wound. Let me make this clear, once and for all. I didn’t seduce Charlie Garza. He tried to rape me, and I will see this through to the end.”
Rachel’s words were unwavering, her tone resolute. “If you’re concerned about the company’s image, I’ll resign. But I won’t stand idly by while Charlie’s actions, and the lies and insults that have followed, ruin my reputation.”
Brian’s chest tightened at her words. Her strength and resolve, both wounded and impressed him. He stepped forward, pulling her out of the elevator. “How dare he… violate you?” His voice was a low growl, fury burning in his eyes, his gaze turning fierce and terrifying.
Rachel had fought so hard to stay composed, telling herself to be strong, but now, standing before him, she couldn’t hold it together any longer. The walls she’d built crumbled, and in an instant, the tears she’d fought to suppress began to fall.
“Are you hurt anywhere?” His voice softened, the anger in it replaced by a genuine
concern.
Rachel turned her face away, deliberately avoiding his gaze.
Undeterred, Brian pulled out his phone and dialed Ronald, his voice unwavering and stern. “Find Charlie Garza. I want him to spend the rest of his life in agony.” To him, anyone who dared harm someone he cared about would face his unyielding retribution.
Rachel’s eyes flashed with skepticism as she glanced at Brian. “If you hurt him, can you avoid the fallout?”
Chapter 246 We’ll Do It Your Way
Brian raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Worried about
me?”
Rachel met his gaze, her voice calm but firm. “No, I just don’t think it’s necessary. That’s not what I want. I just want justice. I want him disgraced, stripped of everything. As for his physical condition, that’s his fate to bear.”
Brian paused, his eyes softening as he took a step closer. He gently pressed his forehead against hers, his touch tender and deliberate. “Alright,” he murmured, “We’ll do it your way. Whatever you decide, I’ll follow your lead.”
